Widford Bridge (Chelmsford)

Mr. Burns:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his reply of 24 January 2002, Official Report, column 1046W, on Widford Bridge, if he will increase the width to make it easier for larger cars and vehicles of under three tonnes weight to travel over the bridge. [31694]

Mr. Jamieson:
The 6ft 6in width restriction imposed on Widford Bridge is required for safety reasons to prevent vehicles of over three tonnes in weight from using the bridge. The Highways Agency would not wish to see any increase in the width of the restriction, as it would increase the likelihood of over weight vehicles attempting to use the bridge.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Iran

Mrs. Ellman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received from the Iranian Government in relation to the UK's proposed new appointment for ambassador to Iran. [32140]

Mr. Bradshaw:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on 14 January 2002, Official Report, column 4W.

Brussels Process

Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 28 January 2002, Official Report, column 37W, on the Brussels Process, if he will place the minutes of meetings under the Brussels Process in the Library. [32729]

Peter Hain:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Crausby) on 31 January (UIN 30671).

Talks under the Brussels Process are confidential. We have made clear the aims and timetable of the Brussels Process. We placed the communiqué from the last Brussels Process ministerial in the Library of the House. We have kept the House fully informed at every stage, most recently in the Government Adjournment debate on 31 January, and we will continue to do so.

Ministerial Responsibilities

Linda Perham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the responsibilities of Ministers in his Department. [33647]

1 Feb 2002 : Column 590W

Mr. Straw:
Following the appointment of the Minister for Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Mr. Hain) as the Government Representative on the Convention on the Future of Europe, I have reallocated responsibilities as follows:

Peter Hain

European Union, Central Europe, Southern Europe.

Baroness Symons (also a Minister in the Department of Trade and Industry)

Gibraltar

Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times Spanish fishing vessels have infringed upon Gibraltar's fishing waters; how many times action has been taken against Spanish fishermen in each of the last five years for infringing upon Gibraltar's fishing waters; what action has been taken; and what discussions have taken place regarding fishing rights in Gibraltar under the Brussels Process. [31534]

Peter Hain:
The Government resumed talks with Spain under the Brussels Process in July 2001: these talks continue. In accordance with the terms of the Brussels Communiqué of November 1984, the talks are aimed at overcoming all the differences between the UK and Spain over Gibraltar and at promoting co-operation on a mutually beneficial basis. The numbers of incursions into Gibraltar's waters by Spanish fishing vessels over the last five years were as follows:

1997: 54

1998: 520

1999: 440, of which 195 were breaches of the 1999 Fishing Agreement between the Government of Gibraltar and the Spanish Fisherman's Association, which permits small numbers of Spanish fishing boats to fish in Gibraltar's waters.

2000: 196, of which 92 were breaches.

2001: 196, of which 118 breaches.

On most occasions when Spanish vessels are advised that they are in breach of the Fishing Agreement and requested to leave, they do so. However, the Gibraltar authorities have taken court action against the crews of Spanish fishing vessels on four occasions.

1 Feb 2002 : Column 591W

DEFENCE

Service Pay

Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the proportion of (a) non-pensionable specialist pay and (b) basic pay is as a proportion of total remuneration for all service men and women. [29236]

Mr. Ingram:
The cost of these types of pay shown as a proportion of the total remuneration for all regular and reserve service men and women is as follows:

(a) non-pensionable specialist pay: 1.6 per cent.

(b) basic pay: 82.5 per cent.

The remaining 15.9 per cent. of the total remuneration is attributable to other forms of non-specialist pay and compensatory allowances. These figures are based on estimates for financial year 200102.

Empty Properties

Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his Department, (ii) his agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last four years. [30068]

Dr. Moonie:
The following figures relate to surplus property on the Defence Estate earmarked for disposal in each of the last three years; (figures for 199798 are not available).

£ million

Year

Value

Cost

199899

(4)

21.4

19992000

214

21.9

200001

273

21.4

(4) Not available

The costs identified include the cost of works undertaken to prepare empty sites for sale and the marketing costs in addition to the routine upkeep of the empty property awaiting disposal.

The cost and values of other empty property, including that in the course of refurbishment or redevelopment, are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces (Marital Status)

Mr. Keetch:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of (a) the Army, (b) the Royal Air Force and (c) the Royal Navy have changed from Maristat One in (i) 19992000, (ii) 200001 and (iii) 200102 into marital category (1) decree absolute, (2) separated and (3) annulled; what proportion of each service strength this represents in each year; what proportion of each service married strength this represents in each year; and if he will make a statement. [27675]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 23 January 2002]: Information on marital status is held on a different system for each service. It is not possible to answer the question exactly as phrased, as the categories specified cannot be isolated in every case. The available information is as follows.

1 Feb 2002 : Column 592W

Table 1: Total strength of Army and the numbers who have changed from "married" to other marital status in financial years

19992000

200001

200102(5)

Strength as at 1 April

109,722

110,052

109,531

Married strength as at 1 April

53,473

51,983

50,786

Decree absolute

947

905

634

Annulment

3

2

3

Widow/er

22

17

10

Total

972

924

647

Proportion change from strength (%)

0.9

0.8

0.6

Proportion change from married strength (%)

1.8

1.8

1.3

(5) Data for 200102 are to 1 December 2001

Table 2: Total strength of RAF and the numbers who have changed from "married" to other marital status in financial years

19992000

200001

200102(6)

Strength as at 1 April

55,213

54,715

53,699

Married strength as at 1 April

33,318

31,915

30,670

Divorced absolute

3

11

6

Divorced nisi

1

10

5

Widow/er

16

26

10

Separated

1,153

1,036

717

Annulled

0

1

0

Total

1,173

1,084

738

Proportion change from strength (%)

2.1

2.0

1.4

Proportion change from married strength (%)

3.5

3.4

2.4

(6) Data for 200102 are to 24 January 2002

Table 3: Total strength of Naval Service and the numbers who have changed from "married" to other marital status in financial years